Fifteen members of Israel’s Knesset have formally appealed to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, urging her to pursue capital punishment for the man accused of carrying out last week’s antisemitic double homicide at the Jewish Museum located near Washington, D.C., where two Israeli Embassy staffers were killed, according to a report from the Jewish News Syndicate.
The appeal was made in a letter sent to Bondi on May 22, just one day after the attack took place. In the message, the lawmakers wrote, “In light of the gravity of the crime—its premeditated nature, the likely ideological motivation, and the victims’ diplomatic status—we believe it would be appropriate for you to seek the death penalty for its perpetrator.”
The alleged shooter, Elias Rodriguez, was apprehended and charged in the case. Before being taken into custody, he reportedly stated that the attack had been carried out “on behalf of Palestine.”
Fox News cited court documents detailing the charges against Rodriguez, which include two counts of first-degree murder, murder of foreign officials, the use of a firearm resulting in death, and firing a weapon in the course of a violent crime. Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro noted that if found guilty, Rodriguez may be eligible for the death penalty.
The victims who lost their lives in the shooting have been identified as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, both of whom were working for the Israeli Embassy at the time of the attack.
Sky News reported on Thursday that Rodriguez had ties to a far-left extremist group and was known for routinely spreading anti-Israel rhetoric.
{Matzav.com}